Agricultural apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A vertical pole ( 2 ) holds plant growing containers ( 3, 50, 54 ), at multiple heights. Some containers may be mounted at a given height (H 1 -H 9 ) in a circular array around the pole. Each container may occupy a V-shaped region about the pole in a top view. The pole may be moveable by a conveyor system ( 4, 5 ). The pole may have a fluid reservoir ( 30 ), and a fluid distribution system ( 31 - 35 ) extending from the fluid reservoir to plant growing containers at different vertical locations on the pole. Each plant growing container may integrate a soil containment portion ( 51 ), a bottom drain portion ( 61 ) that collects fluid draining through the soil, and a bypass drain portion ( 64, 70, 72, 75, 79 ), that interconnects with higher and lower like containers on the pole and bypasses the soil in the containers for rinsing the soils individually.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the field of agriculture, and in certain embodiments to a process and system for control and management of plant growing containers on vertical poles that are movable by a conveyor system. Certain embodiments provide an irrigation reservoir on each pole. Certain embodiments provide a drainage feature in each plant growing container for rinsing accumulated impurities including salts from the soil in each container.

BACKGROUND ART

Demand for increased food production necessitates innovative approaches to traditional farming models. There are vertical growing systems utilizing hydroponics, aquaponics, or soil to produce vegetables. Growing indoors with grow lights controls the growing environment and protects the plants from insects and diseases, eliminates weather variances, and reduces potential for worker accidents. Growing plants on fixed trays or poles require workers to travel to the plants for planting, maintenance, and harvesting, which is labor and equipment intensive.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Certain embodiments of this invention incorporate a conveyor system such as an overhead monorail or I-beam rail system to move and manage vertical poles holding pots or bags of agricultural plants in a greenhouse or building, stationed in a grow area with natural or artificial light. Through the use of the conveyance, the indoor farm can manage individual poles or groups of poles similarly to how railroad yards shuttle and organize rail cars utilizing switching mechanisms. This reduces the need for expensive and dangerous vehicles such as tractors and harvesters. Furthermore, the conveyance may rotate some poles above other poles in a multilevel growing arrangement that increases production per square foot.

An object of the invention is apparatus and operation for plant growing poles suspended from overhead rails or monorails and moved manually or via a motor or engine mechanism to a workstation where the poles are maintained and the plants are tended and harvested then moved back to the growing area. The invention may use computer programs, plant sensors, water sensors, or any electronic devices for identification and data collection from the poles and/or plants, and may use automation to move poles and plants to and from the workstation.

Moving the plants to the worker allows the farm to utilize workers with disabilities to become contributing employees because they can stay in a fixed spot in a supervised worker-friendly area while the poles are rotated to them for maintenance and harvesting. Workplace accidents can be reduced compared to field activities.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process, method, and system for improved inventory control and maintenance of the poles and the plants grown on them in a controlled environment. It is also an object of the invention to provide a process, method and system for computer control of each pole and each plant whereby a specific pole and the data related to that pole can be identified and, if needed, a pole/plant moved to a specific area of a workstation for maintenance or harvesting. Another object of the invention is to provide a commercially practicable process for gathering growth data on each plant, because each plant can now be identified and controlled, and using that data, the growth and yields of each plant can be efficiently optimized. A further object of the invention is to be able to locate growing facilities in close proximity to consumption in order to minimize transportation costs and environmental impacts of trucking emissions and food spoilage in transit. A further object of the invention is to be able to provide “just-in-time” scheduled deliveries of fresh, local, natural produce products on a weekly, year around basis which allows the food costs for the buyers to be stabilized and not subject to seasonal or environmental impacts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in the following description in view of the drawings that show:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of vertical poles with plant growing containers suspended from an overhead rail via a movable trolley.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a vertical pole with brackets holding plant growing containers.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a vertical pole taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top schematic monorail layout with a work area and multiple lines of suspended plant growing poles in an enclosed growing area.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, illustrating a workstation with three levels.

FIG. 6 is a side schematic view of a facility with two vertically stacked grow areas served by one or two work stations on the one floor.

FIG. 7 is a side schematic view of a facility with two vertically stacked grow areas with selective movement of poles between the two areas.

FIG. 8 is a top sectional view of two pie-shaped plant growing containers mounted on a vertical pole.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a vertical T-rail for mounting a plant growing container.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an inner end of a plant growing container that engages the T-rail of FIG. 11.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an agricultural apparatus 1 with vertical poles 2 holding plant growing containers 3 at three heights H1, H2, H3 from the pole bottom. An overhead rail 4 provides a conveyor system. Suitable overhead rail types include I-beams, open slotted rails, enclosed rails, inverted rails and hybrid combinations of these or other variations. Each pole is attached to the rail via a trolley 5 that moves along the rail. The trolley may have rollers or slides that move along the rails utilizing a lubricant or magnetic levitation. One type of overhead conveyor system uses a generally rectangular tubular rail with a trolley inside the rail and a load coupler extending downward from the trolley through a slot in the bottom of the rail. Each vertical pole 2 may be attached to a load coupler by a pivot pin 6 that allows the pole to remain vertical regardless of any incline in the rail. Other pole attachment options include a hook or eye attached to the pole and a hook or eye attached to the trolley, or the poles can be suspended or attached to the trolley by chain, wire, rope, fabric string, tape or other connecting mediums. A pole-turning bearing 7 may be provided to allow turning the pole about its axis by a worker to access all sides of it. Each plant growing container 3 may be attached to the pole by a bracket 8 as later described. Exemplary plant growing containers are fiber bags with bag suspension loops on opposite sides of the top opening of each bag. The containers 3 hold soil or other growing medium.

An irrigation reservoir 30 may be attached to the top end of each pole 2 or to a load bar connected between two trolleys. It may provide time-release gravity-feed irrigation to multiple heights H1, H2, H3 on the pole via irrigation lines 31, 32, 33 comprising outlets 34 with differential metering 35 per height that compensates for different water pressures at the different heights on the pole. An irrigation distributor 35 may be provided at each height. It may provide metering controlled automatically by a control system 36 based on input from a sensor at each height, which may include a sensor in at least one container 3 at each height that measures soil moisture. The irrigation reservoir may be refilled as needed by one or more outlets 37 of irrigation supply lines 38 via valves 39 controlled by a control system. The control system may move a given pole to a refill outlet based on input from a water gauge 40 on the reservoir. The reservoir 30 may be removable for cleaning. For example it may be U-shaped in a top view to slide horizontally around the pole, supported by a shelf or flange on the pole.

One reservoir 30 may be provided per pole mounted at the top of the pole with an irrigation line feeding a distributor 35 at each level H1-H3. Alternately, one reservoir may be provided per level, feeding a respective distributor 35, which may be an electronic drip rate monitor and controller for outlets 34 directed to multiple plant growing containers 3 at the respective level. Multiple reservoirs may be mounted at the top of the pole or one reservoir may be mounted at each respective level. Alternately, one reservoir may be provided per plant, mounted anywhere on the pole above the plant, for example multiple reservoirs may be mounted at each respective level. When reservoirs are mounted at each respective level of the plant growing containers, the gravitational irrigation pressure is equalized for each level. The irrigation line from each reservoir may have a manual valve or an electronic drip rate monitor and controller as known in hospitals. In one embodiment the reservoirs are bladders. Alternately, irrigation may be sprayed onto the plants and containers from stationary nozzles beside the poles, with runoff recycled by a sump pump.

A computer program in the control system may control and track the pole locations, plant species growing on each pole, a history of watering, fertilizing, and trimming, etc. of each plant, and growth stages of individual plants or groups of plants relative to the harvest cycle. Identification of individual poles and plants may be accomplished with a bar code, serial number, or other human or machine readable indicator to facilitate automated database updating. Optionally, each pole, plant, or subset of plants on a pole may have one or more electronic sensors, that sense parameters such as soil chemistry, gasses near the leaves, and/or leaf color, and communicate this data to the controller wirelessly. Electronics on the poles may be powered by batteries, which may optionally be recharged by induction from a primary coil in the rail to a secondary coil in the trolley, or by photovoltaic cells on the poles, or by slidable electrical contacts in the rails and trolleys. The sensors may communicate with the controller wirelessly or via the slidable contacts.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a vertical pole 2 with brackets 8 holding plant growing containers 3 via suspension loops 9, 10 on opposite sides of the top opening of each container. Each bracket may comprise a root portion 11 affixed to a side of the pole, and first and second arms 12, 13 that diverge from each other starting from the root portion and extending to respective first and second distal ends 12E, 13E for holding the suspension loops 9, 10. Each distal end may have a retention device such as a hook.

The pole 2 may have multiple substantially flat side walls S1-S8 along at least part of a vertical length of the pole. One or more T-slots 14 or other bracket mounting elements, including for example pegboard holes or shelf bracket slots, extend along at least part of the vertical length of each side wall. A mating element 15 on the root portion 11 of each bracket mounts the bracket to a selectable bracket mounting element of the pole at a selectable height. For example, the mating element may comprise a nut slidably retained within the T-slot and a bolt inserted through the root portion of the bracket and threaded into the nut to secure the bracket at the selectable height on the pole. Alternately, other mating elements may be used. For example pegboard hooks or shelf bracket hooks may be used with respective bracket mounting elements.

The arms 12, 13 of the bracket may form a V shape in the top view. Benefits of this shape include: a) the arms do not substantially overlap the growing medium 16; and b) growing containers of different diameters can be suspended by the arms, and each container is held at approximately the same distance from the pole by sliding inward along the V to a point at which the separation of the arms equals the container diameter. Smaller-diameter containers can be attached to the arms by looping one suspension loop 9 over one arm end 12E, then sliding that loop 9 to the middle of the arm 12, then looping the second suspension loop 10 over the second arm end 13E while flexing the loops 9, 10 apart.

The two arms 12, 13 may be formed from a single rod bend into a V shape as shown. A plate 17 of the bracket may comprise a top surface and the root portion 11 that contacts the pole. An apex portion 16 of the bent rod may be attached to the plate 17. The apex portion 16 of the rod may have a truncated shape as shown. The plate 17 may have left and right sides 18, 19 that form a V-shape in a top view, with a truncated apex of the V-shape forming the root portion 11 of the bracket, which may fill most of a width of a side wall S1-S8 of the pole.

To maximize the number of containers on the pole at a given height, the divergence angle of the arms 12, 13 and the sides 18, 19 of the bracket plate may be limited to prevent interference between adjacent brackets at the same height. For a pole with N equally spaced T-slots, the divergence angles A1 and A2 may be limited to 360/N plus or minus 5 degrees. The pole cross-section may be shaped as a regular polygon with N sides, having one T-slot or other bracket mounting element on each side as shown. With an octagonal pole as shown, divergence angles A1 and A2 may be limited for example to 45 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees, leaving just enough room for adjacent suspension loops 9, 10 of adjacent containers. Brackets for larger containers may diverge at up to 60 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees. With an octagonal pole as shown, a 60 degree divergence angle of the arms allows mounting four large sized brackets at the same height by using alternate T-slots 90 degrees apart.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a vertical pole taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing a bracket 8 holding a suspension loop 9 of a plant growing container 3. The bracket has a root portion 11 affixed to a side of the pole, and a first arm 12 extending to a distal end 12E, which may include a retention element such as a hook as shown for retaining the suspension loop 9.

FIG. 4 depicts a monorail layout with multiple rail lines L1, L2, L3, L4 in an enclosed growing area 20. Grow lights 21 may be mounted on stationary poles beside and between the lines of grow poles. Manual or computer controlled switching mechanisms may provide alternate rail routes exemplified by rail segments 22, 23, 24 and 25. These may be used to manually or automatically bring the poles individually or in groups to a workstation W for maintenance (e.g. planting, inspection, trimming, fertilizing, watering, pest removal, and/or harvesting), while allowing other poles dwell in the growing area longer. The control system can manage each pole movement and dwell time to provide a sequence of poles to the workstation ready to harvest just-in-time based on parameters of local demand.

Depending on the height of the poles, the workstation W may have multiple levels W1, W2, W3. In FIG. 4 the poles may be about 16 feet tall for example. The workstation has three levels—a first lowest level W1, a second level W2, and a third level W3. The second and third levels are reached by respective stairs 26, 27. Alternately, workers may work on vertically movable platforms or bucket lifts operated by hydraulics or another lift mechanism. Herein the term “worker” includes both human and robotic workers.

Not depicted in the diagrams is the method by which the monorail or I-beam system is held in place. This may be accomplished by either a stand-alone, floor mounted superstructure or roof support trusses (or beams) to which the monorails may be attached. Attachment to the superstructure or roof support trusses (or beams) can be by welding, bolting, gluing, riveting or other attachment means. NikoTrack LLC and PacLine Corporation are examples of providers of overhead rail conveyor systems capable of switching the routes of trolleys among alternate rails.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, illustrating a workstation with three levels—a first lowest level W1, a second level W2, and a third level W3. The second and third levels are reached by respective stairs 26, 27. Alternately, workers may work on vertically movable platforms or bucket lifts operated by hydraulics or another lift mechanism. In this example, the plant growing poles are 16 feet tall, with nine plant container mounting heights H1-H9. Workers manage heights H1-H3 on the first level, heights H4-H6 on the second level W2, and heights H7-H9 on the third level W3. Such tall poles increase farm density per footprint without multiplying the rail layout.

FIG. 6 is a side schematic view of a facility with two vertically stacked grow areas 20A, 20B served by a workstation WA that can serve both grow areas 20A, 20B by managing respective poles 2A, 2B on respective front and back sides of the workstation. Optionally, a second workstation WB may be provided specifically for the upper poles. If the poles are tall, the workstation(s) may be multi-level. An inclined rail 42 transfers poles from the lower level to the upper level. The same inclined rail in reverse direction, or another inclined rail on the opposite side of the facility (not visible in this view), transfers poles from the upper level to the lower level. The sets of poles in the two grow areas 20A, 20B may be independent of each other, and may be operated with independent schedules and different growing conditions.

A facility incorporating the present invention may have growing conditions that vary with height, such as a natural temperature/humidity gradient caused by convection, or a gradient in radiant energy caused by distance from an artificial radiant energy source (grow light) or from natural sunlight entering through a ceiling. Such variations may be controlled, such as with fans or auxiliary radiation sources or by rotating plants periodically to different locations in order to achieve a consistent average condition over time for each plant. Alternatively, different growing conditions may be provided by different lighting, airflow, and irrigation at different vertical portions of the poles, and/or different vertically stacked grow areas, and/or different horizontal subsets of the poles. The growing conditions may be varied to accommodate different species of plants, or to produce different portions of a crop ready for harvest on different days on the same pole or on different subsets of the poles. For example the lighting, irrigation, or temperature of each respective growing condition may be varied enough at different vertical or horizontal locations in a grow area or in different vertically stacked grow areas to vary the harvest date on different poles by at least one day.

FIG. 7 is a side schematic view of a facility with two vertically stacked grow areas 20A, 20B allowing exchange of poles between the two areas. Poles in the lower grow area 20A can be routed to the upper grow area 20B by switching them onto an upward inclined rail 42. Poles in the upper grow area 20B can be routed to the lower grow area 20A by switching them onto a downward inclined rail 43. A single workstation WA can serve both grow areas. Optionally, a second work area WB can be provided at the upper grow area. The inclined rails are shown on the same side of the facility for clarity.

Alternately or additionally, they may be on different sides of the facility.

The present invention increases farming efficiency. It may be aided by computer programs controlling the growing cycles thereby permitting weekly or daily harvesting of crops and delivery to meet demand rather than bulk harvests of entire fields and the inefficiencies and environmental impact of spoilage and transportation pollution caused by traditional farming and harvest methods and storage requirements. It may be relatively or totally isolated from the outdoor environment, such as an indoor space defined by a building, tent, air-dome, or other such structure. A farm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may be located within a city, such as in close proximity to restaurants, convention center, entertainment center, theme park or other facility creating a large demand for fresh agricultural products. The walls/roof of the structure may be completely or partially or controllably opaque, allowing entry of a predetermined amount of sunlight, with supplemental radiant energy being provided artificially. Exchange of air between the indoor space and the outside may be excluded, limited or selectively controlled. This not only facilitates the control of temperature and humidity, but it also hinders the ingress of pests and pollutants, thereby facilitating organic growing practices. Organic growing techniques may be further promoted by introducing only sterilized soil and/or other materials into the indoor farm. The indoor airspace may be temperature/humidity controlled, filtered, and/or pressurized so that any leakage through the structure is only in the outward direction in order to eliminate/minimize the ingress of pests and pollution. Moreover, the gas composition of the indoor space may be controlled, such as by augmenting the content of carbon dioxide or otherwise adding/removing gas species or vapors which favor the growth of a particular plant type.

Advantageously, the controlled growing conditions allow not only a programmed crop harvest timed to coincide with a pre-planned crop demand, but also allow a leveling of labor demand over time. Traditional farming techniques require peak labor periods, such as at planting and harvesting time, necessitating the employment of temporary laborers. Environmental conditions can affect planting and harvesting schedules, thereby introducing additional uncertainty into labor pool management. Temporary labor may not be available when it is needed, and temporary employees tend to have little loyalty to the employer. In contrast, the present invention allows crop scheduling which corresponds to client demand, which tends to be relatively level over time, thereby leveling the labor demand over time. Moreover, the present invention enables the use of full-time employees to satisfy most labor requirements, thereby ensuring the availability of the labor source and building loyalty of the employees toward the employer. Because crop planting/harvesting is planned and scheduled independent of weather conditions, and preferably in response to pre-existing client purchases, periods of peak labor demand which may require the use of some temporary employees are identified well in advance of the need and with a high degree of timing certainty.

The present invention may include a population of insect pollinators, such as bees, being maintained within the farm enclosure, thereby ensuring the availability of the insects for pollination while protecting the insects from outside environmental hazards.

While the price per square foot of a building located in a city may be far in excess of the price of a field in the country, the economics of the present invention can be favorable due to a number of economic factors. The utilization of vertical space greatly increases the number of plants that can be grown per unit area. There will be lower crop loss caused by insects and other animals. Crop damage due to drought, excess rain, wind, hail, etc. is eliminated. Transportation costs are minimized because the crops are grown close to the customer's location. Crop damage during harvesting is minimized because it is conducted in a controlled factory environment, and crop spoilage and damage during transportation is virtually eliminated. A higher crop yield per plant can be achieved due to the controlled organic growing conditions. Moreover, crops may be grown closely together in the growing section of the farm because there is no need for equipment or people to access the plants in the growing section. All human or machine interaction with a plant can be accomplished in the maintenance section of the farm, thereby allowing a very compact, densely packed growing area. Importantly, purchasers of the crops may be expected to pay a premium for a guaranteed crop supply on a pre-planned schedule, harvested at a planned peak flavor stage, and delivered as fresh as perhaps on the day that they are harvested. While sunlight is free and the present invention anticipates some use of electricity to produce radiant energy, the roof of the farm structure may be utilized for solar and/or wind power harvesting, thereby mitigating the cost of electricity. And while rain is free and the present invention anticipates some use of city or well water, that cost can be mitigated by using only an optimal amount of water and the collection and re-use of any run off. Furthermore, the lack of pests within the farm enclosure should minimize or completely eliminate the cost of pesticides, and there is no need for field equipment such as tractors or trucks to support maintenance activities.

Other means of conveyance may be used to move plants within the farm enclosure, such as carts which move on rails or pathways, moving beltways, small barges floating in an indoor aqueduct system, robots which selectively grasp and convey individual plant containers upon demand; etc.

FIG. 8 is a top sectional view of two plant growing containers 50, 54 mounted at a particular vertical location along on a vertical pole 2 or other vertically extending support member. Some containers may be arranged horizontally to occupy adjacent generally V-shaped regions about the vertical location in a top view. V-shaped in this context means regions with sides that diverge from each other in a top view, starting from the pole, whether or not the sides are straight. Preferably, the containers occupy adjacent pie-shaped regions. “Pie shaped” means a portion of a cylindrical volume between two co-centered radii of equal length R and their intercepted arc as seen in a transverse section of the cylinder. When mounted on a pole, the radii are co-centered on the centerline C of the pole. Alternately, the containers may be “wedge-shaped”, meaning triangular in a top view. These meanings include a V-shaped, pie-shaped, or wedge-shaped volume with a truncated apex forming a radially inner wall 65 as shown. Each container may have two radially oriented side walls 55, 56 and a distal or outer wall 57, which is preferably arcuate as shown. This pie shape maximizes the total surface area and volume of soil in the container for a given radius required by the pole and its mounted containers, maximizing farm density.

N of the plant growing containers can be mounted in a horizontal circular array around the pole at a particular vertical location. Each plant growing container may occupy N/360 degrees of the circular array.

Each plant growing container comprises a soil containment portion 51 between an inner wall 65, two side walls 55, 56, an outer wall 57, and above a drain mesh 59 to contain natural or artificial soil. Container 50 is shown with soil 52. Container 54 is shown empty. The bottom wall 58 of container 54 may be overlain with the mesh 59 that excludes the soil from drain channels 60, 61, 62 in the bottom wall that drain into a flush channel 64 in the inner wall 65 of the container. This drainage allows periodic rinsing of accumulated impurities including salts from the soil that precipitate and concentrate in the soil over time from the irrigation liquid. The flush channel 64 bypasses the soil of this container and lower containers. A bracket 66 comprises a mounting device for hanging a plant container on the pole as later shown. The soil containment portion, the bottom drain portion, and the flush channel may be integrally formed into the plant growing container for example by plastic injection molding, providing a soil drainage feature.

The channels 60, 61, 62 are not limited by size, number, or shape within the scope of the invention. For example, a single or multiple serpentine channels may optionally be used. The mesh 59 may be a flexible drainage mesh that spans over the drainage channels. It can be simply laid in the bottom of the container before adding soil. Alternately, the mesh may be a rigid perforated partition with clearance over the bottom 59 that leaves a clear drainage area at the bottom of the container, with or without one or more discrete channels.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8. The flush channel 64 has a bypass drain inlet 70 at the top with a coupling for a connecting tube 71 leading to a next higher plant growing container in a vertical sequence of the containers on a vertical extent of the pole. The flush channel 64 has a bypass drain outlet 72 at the bottom end with a coupling for a connecting tube 73 to a next lower plant growing container on the pole. Alternately, an elongated upper outlet 70 of a lower container may engage an elongated lower inlet 72 of an upper container on a pole. The interconnected flush channels of a vertical sequence of plant growing containers create a continuous rinse water drain conduit to and through the bottom of the lowest plant growing container. A worker may use a hand-held shower head to flood one container at a time. The water percolates through the soil, collects in the drain channels 61, flows into the flush channel 64 via a drain port 75 in the inner wall 65, and reaches the bottom of the pole without going through either the pole 2 or additional soil 52. The port 75 provides a bottom drain portion or channel 61 outlet 75A in fluid communication with a bottom inlet 75B of the flush channel 64. This integral drainage feature simplifies manufacturing, and simplifies mounting of the plant containers on the pole. Only a quick connection of the connecting tubes 71, 73 is needed to complete a drainage system for a given pole, allowing quick mounting and replacement of plant containers. The bottom wall 58 may slope downward toward the pole for example by at least 2 degrees. This facilitates drainage and improves the cantilever strength of the container. The flush channel 64, inlet 70, outlet 72, and the drain port 75 between the bottom drain portion or channel 61, and the flush channel 64 together form a bypass drain portion of the plant growing container,

Grow lamps 21 may be mounted beside the plant growing containers so higher containers do no block the light from lower ones. A reflective surface 76 may be provided on the exterior of the bottom wall 58 to reflect incident light 77 onto the plant below. This increases energy efficiency and growth rate, and encourages upward growth. A reflective surface with at least 80% reflectance may be provided by a coating such as white or metallic paint or a metal or metalized surface or material such as aluminized Mylar. The coating should have reflectivity of at least 80% at least in the colors needed for efficient photosynthesis and flowering, including for example at least red and blue ranges.

Optionally the bottom surface 76 may be formed as a Fresnel first surface reflector that redirects light 77 from adjacent grow lamps 21. Such surface may be formed by triangular ridges with aluminum vapor deposition over a bond coat. It can provide more efficient downward redirection than a white or plane mirrored surface.

A vertical T-rail 78 may be mounted to the vertical slot 14 in the pole 2 via a mating element 15 that is tightened in the slot via a machine screw 74. A boss 69 on the bottom back side of the T-rail may enter the opening of the T-slot 14 to prevent the T-rail from pivoting about the machine screw 74. The inner wall 65 of the container 50 has a T-slot 79 that slides over the T-rail. These elements are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9. An irrigation line 31 may supply an irrigation distributor 35 that meters irrigation to outlets 34 as previously described for FIG. 1. Other metering options include valves, orifices, and other flow restrictions. Rinsing of the soil can be accomplished via the irrigation system. However, rinsing requires a much higher flow rate than normal drip rates of an irrigation system. Instead, the rinsing water can be manually or robotically sprayed into each container by a separate spray device, for example a hand-held shower head, at periodic intervals such as quarterly or seasonally.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a T-rail 78 with a mating element 15 that mounts to the pole 2 in a T-slot 14 at a selectable vertical position as previously described for FIG. 2. A machine screw 74 may tighten the mating element 15 in the T-slot 14. A boss 69 (FIG. 9) may extend from the bottom back side of the T-rail to fit into the opening of the T-slot 14 in the pole to prevent swinging of the T-rail about the machine screw.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an inner end of a plant growing container that engages the T-rail of FIG. 11. It comprises a pole mounting device exemplified by a T-slot 79 that slides over the T-rail 78, and a stop 80 that stops on the top end of the T-rail. Alternate pole mounting devices include hooks or pegs that engage a selection of lateral holes or slots in the pole.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Variations and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope and intended meaning of the appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention increases efficiency and productivity in agriculture, and provides fresh local produce for markets. 

1. An agricultural apparatus comprising: a vertically extending support member supporting multiple plant growing containers, wherein the plant growing containers are vertically separated from each other along a vertical extent of the support member, and the plant growing containers at a particular vertical location along the support member are arranged horizontally to occupy adjacent generally V-shaped regions about the vertical location; the support member configured to be moveable by a conveyor system; a fluid reservoir supported from the support member; and a fluid distribution system extending from the fluid reservoir to plant growing containers located at different vertical locations.
 2. The agricultural apparatus of claim 1, wherein each plant growing container integrally comprises: a soil containment portion that holds a plant growing soil; an attachment structure that attaches the plant growing container to the vertically extending support member; and a drainage feature that collects water drained through the soil and channels it to a flush channel that extends vertically through an inner wall of the plant growing container.
 3. The agricultural apparatus of claim 2, wherein the drainage feature comprises a drain channel in a bottom wall of the soil containment portion of the plant growing container, wherein a mesh covers the drain channel and excludes the soil from the drain channel.
 4. The agricultural apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drain channel is sloped at least 2 degrees downward toward the inner wall of the plant growing container to a port in the inner wall that drains into the flush channel.
 5. The agricultural apparatus of claim 2 wherein some of the plant growing containers are arranged in a vertical sequence on the vertically extending support member, and comprise respective flush channels that are interconnected to each other, wherein the interconnected flush channels form a drain conduit that flushes water drained through the soil of each plant growing container.
 6. The agricultural apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a grow light beside the plant growing containers, wherein each plant growing container further comprises a reflective exterior bottom surface that reflects or diffuses light from the grow light at least partly downward toward a lower plant growing container on the vertically extending support member.
 7. The agricultural apparatus of claim 2, wherein the vertically extending support member comprises a vertical pole, wherein N of the plant growing containers are mountable in a horizontal circular array around the vertical pole at the particular vertical location, and each plant growing container occupies N/360 degrees of the circular array.
 8. The agricultural apparatus of claim 7, wherein each plant growing container is pie shaped or wedge shaped, comprising first and second side walls aligned with respective first and second co-centered radii extending from a centerline of the pole.
 9. The agricultural apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a mounting element in the vertically extending support member; a vertically oriented T-rail that is mountable in the mounting element; a vertically oriented T-slot in the inner wall of the plant growing container that slides over the vertically oriented T-rail; and a stop at a top end of the vertically oriented T-slot in the inner wall of the plant growing container that stops on a top end of the T-rail.
 10. A method of use of the agricultural apparatus of claim 5, comprising the steps of: installing the plant growing soil in each of said some of the plant growing containers, and growing a plant therein; providing irrigation to said some of the plant growing containers at a given irrigation rate; periodically rinsing the soil in each of said some of the plant growing containers with rinse water at a rinsing rate higher than the irrigation rate; and collecting or discharging the rinse water at a bottom end of the drain conduit. 11-18. (canceled)
 19. An agricultural apparatus comprising: a soil containment portion that holds a planting soil; a bottom drain portion disposed proximate a bottom of the soil containment portion that collects a fluid draining through the planting soil held in the soil containment portion; and a bypass drain portion comprising a flush channel with an inlet and an outlet and a drain port between the bottom drain portion and the flush channel, the bypass drain portion configured to convey fluid received into the inlet to the outlet without the fluid making contact with the soil held in the soil containment portion, and to convey fluid received from the bottom drain portion to the outlet via the drain port; wherein the soil containment portion, the bottom drain portion, and the bypass drain portion are integrally formed into a plant growing container, whereby the plant growing container provides an integral soil drainage feature; wherein the plant growing container is an upper plant growing container in a set of like plant growing containers attached in a vertical sequence to a vertically extending support member, and the outlet of the upper plant growing container is connected to a respective inlet of a lower one of the plant growing containers, creating a drain conduit that flushes water drained from the respective soils of the upper and lower plant growing containers without passing the drained water through the soil of either plant growing container; further comprising: a mounting element in the vertically extending support member; a vertically oriented T-rail that is mountable in the mounting element; a vertically oriented T-slot in a wall of the plant growing container that slides over the vertically oriented T-rail; and a stop at a top end of the vertically oriented T-slot in the wall of the plant growing container that stops on a top end of the T-rail.
 20. (canceled) 